American Climate Corps personnel are laying the foundation for a fair and eco-friendly future in the United States
The American Climate Corps, an initiative launched by President Joe Biden, is making significant strides in training a diverse workforce for the clean energy sector. The programme, primarily funded through federal programs such as AmeriCorps, is expanding and shifting focus to include climate change.
Dana Fisher, a sociologist and author of the book "Saving Ourselves", is currently researching the existing Corps programs, including the American Climate Corps. Her research has shed light on the lack of consensus about how the agency is addressing climate issues, a reality she recently highlighted in a paper published last month.
One of the key players in this initiative is GRID Alternatives, a national nonprofit that provides no-cost residential solar installations and trains locals to do the same. This year, the SolarCorps cohort at GRID Alternatives has installed solar for over 1,170 families. The organisation is also working to build an evaluation system for SolarCorps, having recently hired a data analyst.
GRID Alternatives plans to expand the SolarCorps program to more states, thanks to new grant dollars secured from the Inflation Reduction Act. This expansion will see GRID Alternatives partnering with local groups that know those communities best and can cater the programs to their needs, especially as they venture into tribal nations and nearly 30 states like Texas and Michigan over the next few years.
Jessica Celi, a 30-year-old resident of the Bay Area, is a member of the inaugural class of President Joe Biden’s workforce training program, the American Climate Corps. Celi is a SolarCorps fellow with GRID Alternatives, and among the past year’s 51 SolarCorps fellows, 80% identified as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color.
However, there is a problem. There is no central agency or database tracking the integration of climate change into programs across the U.S. or following the fellows themselves after they complete their service in the American Climate Corps. This means that we don't know how the American Climate Corps programs are helping, as nobody is actually measuring that, and nobody is there evaluating it.
Fisher emphasized the need for more federal dollars to go toward analyzing all the varied American Climate Corps programs to assess their effectiveness in educating young people about the climate crisis and placing them in jobs dedicated to building a cleaner, healthier, more equitable world.
President Biden has committed to distributing at least 40% of federal investment benefits to underserved communities. Since October 2023, GRID Alternatives has orchestrated some 130 job placements, contributing to this commitment.
The American Climate Corps is a crucial step towards a greener future, and its expansion depends on stable and possibly increased appropriations from Congress within the budget frameworks illustrated by recent Interior and Environment bills. The injection of $370 billion towards the clean energy sector from the Inflation Reduction Act will undoubtedly aid in this expansion.
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- Dana Fisher, a sociologist, is researching the American Climate Corps, including its approach to addressing climate issues, as evidenced in her recent published paper.
- GRID Alternatives, a nonprofit organization, is expanding its SolarCorps program, funded in part by the Inflation Reduction Act, aiming to partner with local groups across nearly 30 states to cater to the needs of diverse communities.
- Jessica Celi, a member of the American Climate Corps, is a SolarCorps fellow with GRID Alternatives, and a significant percentage of fellows identify as Black, Indigenous, or a person of color.
- There is currently no central agency or database tracking the integration of climate change into American Climate Corps programs or following fellows after they complete their service.
- To assess the effectiveness of American Climate Corps programs in educating young people about the climate crisis and job placement, Fisher has highlighted the need for increased federal funding for data analysis.
- President Biden has committed to benefiting underserved communities with at least 40% of federal investment, and GRID Alternatives has already made over 130 job placements in line with this commitment. The injection of $370 billion towards the clean energy sector from the Inflation Reduction Act will aid in the expansion of the American Climate Corps.
